187.14 Consolidation of church corporations or congregations.

(1) Whenever the members of two or more incorporated religious societies of the same church, sect, denomination or ecclesiastical connection shall desire to consolidate said societies, such consolidation may be effected in the following manner:

(2) Every such incorporated society shall first of all submit to the members thereof, at any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose pursuant to the provisions of its charter, articles of incorporation and bylaws, the question of whether or not such society shall consolidate with any one or more other societies with which it is proposed to consolidate. If a majority voting at such meeting shall be opposed to such consolidation, then the said society shall have no authority to consolidate until such later date as a majority may be in favor thereof; but in case a majority voting at any such meeting of any such society shall favor consolidation with any one or more other societies of the same church, sect, denomination or ecclesiastical connection, then such consolidation shall proceed as hereinafter prescribed.

(3) The members present at any such meeting shall determine by resolution with what other society, or societies, a consolidation is to be effected.

(4) The members present at any such meeting of any such society after a resolution has been adopted to consolidate with one or more other societies as herein provided, shall choose from its members three representatives to be known as “joint commissioners" to meet with a similar number of such “joint commissioners" from any other society, or societies, with which it is proposed to consolidate, and such “joint commissioners" shall have the following powers and perform the following duties:

(a) Said joint commissioners, or a majority of them, shall have the power to decide by what corporate name the consolidated society shall be known;

(b) Said joint commissioners, or a majority of them, may make, sign and acknowledge a certificate of consolidation, which certificate may be substantially as follows:

Know all by these presents: That the undersigned, duly appointed joint commissioners of .... of ...., Wisconsin, and .... of ...., Wisconsin, to effect a consolidation of said incorporated religious societies, do hereby certify that, pursuant to the authority in us vested, we have consolidated and do hereby consolidate the above named .... of ...., Wisconsin, and .... of ...., Wisconsin, into one religious society of the .... (church, sect, denomination or other description), located in the .... of ...., county of ...., and state of Wisconsin, which consolidated society shall be known and incorporated by the name of ....

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals this .... day of ...., .... (year)

(Acknowledged)

(Signed) .... (Seal)

(c) The certificate, together with a certified copy of the resolution from each society authorizing the consolidation, shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the newly consolidated society is located. When so recorded, the consolidated society shall be an incorporated religious society under and by virtue of the laws of this state and shall have all the powers and be subject to all the obligations of religious societies as prescribed by this chapter.

(5) Said joint commissioners shall, as soon as practicable after such consolidation, call a meeting of all the members of the consolidated society at which meeting said consolidated society shall adopt whatever bylaws may be necessary and elect all necessary officers and transact any other business necessary or proper for the new corporation. Until such officers have been elected, said joint commissioners shall be the governing board of said consolidated society, and shall have the power to do anything necessary or proper to fully effect the consolidation or anything immediately necessary for the good of said society.

(6) When the incorporation of a consolidated society is completed as provided in this section, the consolidated society is vested with all the temporalities and property, real or personal, of the constituent societies. Any gifts, grants, devises, or bequests accruing to either of the former societies after the completion of the incorporation of the consolidated society, or to the consolidated society, by whatever name designated, are valid and shall pass to and vest in the consolidated society. No gift, grant, devise, or bequest given to either one of the former societies shall fail, but instead the consolidated society shall take the gift, grant, devise, or bequest as either of the former societies would have.

History: 1975 c. 94 s. 91 (8); 1979 c. 89; 1997 a. 250; 2001 a. 103.